Apparatus for aging, mellowing, and purifying wines and liquors.



N0. 804,935. PATENTED NOV. 21, 1905.

' J. F. DUFFY & J. F. DUFFY, Jx.

APPARATUS FOR AGING, MELLOWING, AND PURIFYING WINES AND LIQUORS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14, 1905. v

F bi

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES F. DUFFY AND JAMES F. DUFFY, JR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

APPARATUS FOR AGING, MELLOWlNG, AND PURIFY ING WINES AND LIQUORS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 21, 1905.

Application filed June 14, 1905- Serial No. 265,134.

To all whom, it 11mg concern.-

Be it known that we, J AMES F. DUFFY and J AMEs F. DUFFY, J r., citizens of the United States of America, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Aging, Mellowing, and Purifying Wines and Liquors, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in apparatus for aging, mellowing, and purifying wines and liquors and is fully described and explained in this specification and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a top plan of our improved device. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail view of the connection between the shaft and the revolving table, and Fig. 4: is a section in the line 4 4 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, A is a platform the top surface of which may be of various forms, the preferred form being that of a segment of a cylinder, as illustrated in Fig. 2. Through the center of this platform extends a vertical shaft B, carrying a large miter-gear B in mesh withasmaller miter-gear C, (dotted lines, Fig. 1,) mounted on a shaft C, which can be driven by any suitable means. D represents a suitable table mounted upon wheels E, preferably three in number, journaled in brackets e, mounted on the under side of the table D. The periphery of the miter-gear B is connected by a link E to one of the brackets a. At the center of the table D are mounted two downwardly-extending brackets cl, which pivotally support between them a ring cl, within which is a ring d pivoted to the first ring at right angles to its pivot upon the brackets and moving vertically on the shaft B. By this means a loose knuckle-joint connection is provided between the table and shaft, by means of which the table is kept in proper alinement with the shaft, but is permitted to move in all directions except transversely to the shaft. The table D carries clamps 'D, which are adapted to support barrels in which the liquor to be aged is placed.

The operation of our device is as follows: The barrels containing the liquor are placed in position upon the table and the shaft C is rotated. This drives the gear B and by means of the link causes the rotation of the table. Owing to the fact that the table runs upon an irregular surface, it is given a rocking motion, which continually agitates the contents of the barrels. It has been found in many years of experience that the motion of a ship rapidly ages liquors, and it was at one time customary to ship liquor on sea voyages for no other purpose than to age it. The apparatus herein shown imparts to the barrels practically the same motion as that given on shipboard@'. 6., a continuous forward movement coupled with a rocking and pitching movementand the device can be run at a sufficiently high speed to accomplish in a short period of time what would take a very long time by any natural method.

While we prefer to use three wheels,because with such a construction the greatest irregularities of motion are produced, still the number of wheels may be varied, as may the contour of the surface, or, as far as the broader features of our invention are concerned, other means might be employed for giving the table its rotary and wabbling motion.

We claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. In a device of the class described, the combination with a table adapted to support a receptacle containing liquor, of wheels supporting the table, an irregular surface upon which the wheels run, a suitably-driven vertical shaft below'the center of the table, and a block pivoted to the table upon a horizontal axis and slidably mounted on said shaft.

2. The combination with a surface in the form of a segment of a cylinder, of a table, means for rotating the table and three wheels supporting the table and running upon said surface.

In witness whereof we have signed the above application for Letters Patent, at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of. Illinois, this 12th day of June, 'A. D. 1905.

JAMES F. DUFFY. JAMES F. DUFFY, JR. Witnesses:

CHAS. O. SHERVEY, K. M. CORNWALL. 

